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Random Morning Thoughts
Gratitude Month, day 26: I am grateful today for humor. I am especially grateful for humor that involves two of my favorite things: Thanksgivukkah and weather. So, if you need a laugh today, check out Cliff Mass’ blog post on Thanksgivukkah.
Awesome Temira-approved Local Business – Cebu Lounge and Riverside Grill
Hey Portland. Hey Hood River. Skip the cooking this Thanksgiving: ride or sail or ski all day and then head on down to Riverside for Thanksgiving dinner. They’ll take care of your dinner and clean up, with served plated dinners. Traditional turkey and trimmings, or vegetarian, prime rib, and salmon options. Serving 12-9pm. Reservations recommended. 541-386-4410. And as always, the best happy hour in the Gorge 4-6pm and $12 Prime Rib Tuesdays, Temira’s favorite. The folks on the mailing list are in a raffle for free Prime Rib for two. Don’t you wish you were on the mailing list?
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Mt. Hood Snow High Clouds and Incoming Big Snowstorm Forecast
There’s not much to say about the next three days, but there’s plenty to say about the weekend. Today sees the free air freezing level (FAF) at 12k early, lowering to 9k in the afternoon with increasing high clouds and temps around 40° at 5000′. Wind will be WSW 20 all day. Tomorrow looks exactly the same, with more high clouds and the FAF at 9k. Thanksgivukkah starts out cloudy with the FAF at 9k and SW wind at 10mph, but the wind switches to NW 10 in the afternoon.
Friday looks calm, but a weak system moves in Saturday with light precipitation. At this point, temps are borderline, but the precip totals are in the .1-.3” water value (WV) range, so pretty light and not a big concern. Temps also look borderline for Sunday through midday, as .8-1” WV interacts with colder air coming down from the north and warm air associated with an offshore high. This is another wait-and-see scenario.
On the bright side, the nuking Sunday winds predicted by yesterday’s model have disappeared along with the upper low generating those winds, so it just looks stormy Sunday, not unbearable.
On Monday, depending on where exactly the jet stream ends up, we’ll see a combination of dense tropical moisture and cold arctic air. If this sets up just right and hits us dead on, we’ll see feet of snow on Mt. Hood. Temps shouldn’t be a problem on Monday – it’s going to be cold. It’s just a matter of where the jet stream goes. Cross your fingers. And hey, cross your fingers for Gorge snow too. We could be skiing down here if the setup is exactly perfect!
Weather
Plain Old Local Weather
There’s really not much to say about the weather in the Gorge for the next two days. It’ll be below freezing in the morning and near 40° in the afternoon. We’ll see high clouds move in today and stick around through Thanksgivukkah. On the high holiday of eating, we’ll see temps above freezing in the Gorge to start the day, warming up to the upper 30’s or so in the afternoon.
Now… about this weekend. Models have changed drastically since yesterday, meaning we’ll be under west flow when the storm hits on Sunday. That likely leaves us with rain at Columbia River level. I think it’s safe to assume Parkdale will see snow on Sunday night and Monday, but the rest of us, well, unless something changes, probably not. But that could change again tomorrow!
Gorge Wind Forecast
The nuking conditions continue at Rooster today, .15 gradient driving easterlies at 40-45 mph. Steven’s Locks gets 26-30 today. Tomorrow sees a repeat of today. On Thanksgivukkah, the easterlies back off to the upper teens to low twenties.
Road and Mountain Biking
Whoopdee is a mess. Post is a mess. Syncline is a mess. It’s all a mess. I was very sad to see all the trail damage in Post yesterday when I was out jogging. Maybe you have a road bike or some jogging shoes you could use instead? Maybe you would like to make a tax-deductible donation to the Hood River Area Trail Stewards?
The Clymb: free membership. Cheap gear. Temira approves. Click to join.
Events – email me if I’ve missed any outdoor-related events
Tonight brings you a chance to play rugby: 5:30 at Collins Field in Hood River. It also brings my favorite night: $12 Prime Rib at Cebu. Not sure if I can get enough exercise today to earn those calories, but I’m sure going to try. Kayak polo tomorrow night is canceled due to the holiday, but it will return next week. If you want it to last, show up, because the pool ain’t cheap to rent!
Kanaha Beach Park Petition Information
I’m passing on the link to the Kanaha Beach Park petition. My (admittedly incomplete) understanding of the issue is that there’s been a conflict between swimmers and kiters, resulting in a lawsuit to close major portions of the waterfront to vessels (including kiteboards and windsurfers). This lawsuit asks the state to enforce laws already on the books but not currently being enforced. Make a difference: sign the petition. Keep Kanaha accessible to all users.
Have an awesome day today!
Temira
